A Horse of a Different Color
by Starseeker1
Summary: Starscream's life flashes before his eyes, and we're given a glimpse of his origins.


Disclaimer: Starseeker, much to her chagrin, does not own Starscream, Skyfire, or any other copyrighted Transformers characters, for they are Hasbro's playthings. She _does_, however, claim the rights of Starfire, Icewing, and Retread, her two original character creations. Horrible, flaming death by dragon's fire will fall upon any who steal these characters. 

A Horse of a Different Color 

Everything had been going according to plan, probably for the first time in ages. Megatron was gone for good and it was finally Starscream's time to shine. Yes, things were finally starting to look up for the former Air Commander; that is, until the onlookers' attention became directed somewhere other than upon himself. 

"Who disrupts my coronation?" Starscream demanded. 

An unfamiliar purple robot approached the raised dais and responded, "Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy." 

"Megatron? Is that you?" the new Decepticon leader asked, his confidence quickly fading. 

"Here's a hint." 

Starscream suddenly found himself staring down the end of a giant, orange canon mounted upon a purple launching station. Where had it all gone so terribly wrong?   


  


~***~ 

  


The first thing the young mech became aware of as he first came on-line was a large, pleasing face staring down at him. The features were whiter than snow, soft and feminine, and the azure optics carried a warm and inviting depth to them. The face smiled down at him. 

"Hello, Starscream. I'm Icewing, your mother," the face said. Icewing looked away for a moment before backing away to the edge of Starscream's vision. 

A new face suddenly filled his sight. This one was much darker than the first, a gunmetal gray that could almost have been black in darker lighting. Its features were more rigid and masculine and held a sense of authority to it, and the crimson optics seemed capable of any amount of lethality, but at the moment the face seemed more inclined to gush than to start barking orders or waging combat. 

"And I'm your father, Starfire." the face gave a gaping smile that seemed out-of-proportion with the hardened features. "Can you say 'Daddy'? Come on, son, say 'Daddy'!" 

Starscream gazed up at him with no small amount of confusion. 

The lighter face lovingly gasped. "Look, Star, he has your optics," Icewing cooed to her mate. 

Even though Starfire's smile widened – a seemingly impossible task given how positively large his grin had been before – he gave no further response, for he was a Mech on a Mission. "Come on, Screamer. 'Daddy!' 'Dad-dy'…. 'Da-a-a-a-addy-y-y-y-y-y'……" 

The young mech still looked vaguely confused and overwhelmed by all the sudden input his systems were receiving. He tried his best to mimic his father's facial movements, although he couldn't quite manage to get much out of his vocalizer other than a few gurgles and murmurs. The attempt, however, seemed to please Starfire to no end. He picked up his son just underneath the arms, spun him around in the air a few times, and rubbed the smaller mech's nose to his nose. It was almost impossible to discern which one of them was giggling louder. 

"Didja hear that, Icy? He's tryin' to talk already! Been on-line for only a few clicks, and he's already tryin' to talk! Oh, he's gonna be a smart one, let me tell ya," he gushed to Icewing before turning back to look upon his son. "Yessiree, you're even gonna be smarter than your old 'Con one day, Screamer. You're gonna be somethin' special."   


  


~***~ 

  
  


Starfire had been correct about his son. Starscream turned out to be a fast learner with an insatiable curiosity about everything in the world around him. Within a vorn he had a good handle on speech and his motor skills had greatly improved. He was often found tearing around the house with his arms outstretched before him, pretending to fly just like Starfire did every morning before he transformed in mid-air and shot off to work. The fact that such playful activity often had Starscream blasting suddenly around blind corners was a source of constant headaches for Icewing, who more often than not found her legs knocked out from underneath her. 

Before long it came time for Icewing to return to her old job. Abject to hiring a sitter to look over Starscream, it was decided that he would accompany Icewing to her research center. Starfire was a bit disappointed that his son wouldn't be tagging along with him, but understood that the nature of his own job would never allow for any other alternative. 

So, that was how Starscream found himself gazing around in awe at the big city while he walked beside his mother. Some mechs hustled about here and there on their errands while others, though slightly smaller in number, flew overhead. The world seemed busy and full of life out in the street, and even the buildings seemed to carry a golden aura about them. 

"Why can't I go with Daddy to work?" little Starscream asked. 

"Because your father's line of work doesn't allow that sort of thing." Icewing answered, patient as she always was at the beginning of one of these question sessions. She couldn't bring herself to get too irritated since, after all, she had tormented her own creator with non-stop questions when she was younger. 

"Why?" 

"Because he works in the military." 

"Oh." However, the questions were far from over. "What's that?" 

"It's a group of mechs that protect Cybertron." 

"What's Cyberton?" 

Icewing chuckled. "The planet you live on, silly," she answered as she lovingly patted the top of his head. 

"Why don't we just fly to work?" 

"Because I can't fly, Starscream. And neither can you… yet." 

"But I will one day, won't I, Mother?" Starscream asked hopefully and looked up with imploring optics. 

Icewing smiled down at him. "Of course you will. 

"Yeah," Starscream breathed, almost unable to contain himself until that day would come. "I'll fly high and fast, just like Daddy! I'll be the fastest jet on Cybertron! Vrooooom!" And with that Starscream stretched his arms out in front of him and zoomed circles around his mother for the rest of the walk. 

Starscream found the lab to be an odd mix of interest and boredom. Every new sight and sound illicited questions, sometimes to be asked of by any random number of lab technicians if Icewing wasn't available. However, when every new room and person had been discovered and explained away, Starscream found himself roaming around in search of something – anything – fun to do. He wondered how his mother managed to stay fascinated with staring at little tubes of liquid, entering stuff into a data pad, and sitting at a desk all day long.   


  


~***~ 

  
  


Within a few mechavorns, it was time for Starscream to begin basic training, something that would provide him both with social interaction with mechs his own age and with the basic education he would need to later enter a university of his choosing. Starscream found school much more fascinating than tottering around Icewing's lab and immersed himself in all the subjects he could get his hands on. The social interaction part, however, was a different matter entirely. 

As soon as the young mechs had been released from their classes to create chaos on the surrounding grounds, Starscream found himself awkwardly alone. Instead, he hung towards the back of the crowd and observed the others. 

In one corner of the compound, two large, purple mechs were having quite a fun time pushing a smaller, yellow one around between the two of them. In another area, three other mechs were milling around, one red, one yellow, and one silver. Back near the educational center, a large, white fellow was leaning against a wall with his face buried behind a data pad. Starscream was tempted to go find out what that other mech was busy reading when a movement caught his attention. He turned to see a blue mech and a younger, black one of an almost identical build waving him over. 

"Hey, you're Starscream, right?" the blue one asked as Starscream approached. 

He nodded. 

"Told ya!" shouted the younger, black one. 

"I'm Thundercracker," introduced the blue one. 

"And I'm Skywarp!" the black and purple one said far too excitedly. 

"So, your creator's Starfire?" asked Thundercracker. 

"Yeah," Starscream answered, feeling slightly apprehensive over the sudden excitement. 

"_The_ Starfire, as in one of the greatest Decepticon warriors ever?" Thundercracker pressed. 

"Not just the greatest warrior ever, but Air Commander, too! I heard my creator talking about him!" Skywarp hurriedly added. 

Just as Starscream was starting to puff his chest out with pride, a third voice broke in. "That's not impressive." 

All three jets spun around to see a silver mech. 

"Oh, it's _you_, Bluestreak. I'll be glad when you and your family finally move to Crystal City and stop bugging us," Thundercracker said in disgust. 

"And what's not impressive about being the best fighter _ever_?" Skywarp shot accusingly. 

"Love you, too, Big Blue," Bluestreak sarcastically retorted. "And you don't have to fight to be impressive." He transformed into a small Cybertronian vehicle and raced around the trio a few times before spinning out and going back to robot mode. "_That's _impressive!" 

Thundercracker laughed, "Feh, you can't even _fly_." 

"Yeah, like _this _!" Starscream leapt into the air and transformed, wheeling around over the school grounds. The commotion was enough to make Astrotrain and Blitzwing stop their game of tossing Bumblebee and instead looked up to watch the spectacle. The gleaming white jet performed a few barrel rolls before landing back in robot mode. 

Bluestreak crossed his arms over his chest with an annoyed expression. 

"Bluestreak, Bluestreak, Bluestreak…" said Sideswipe as he approached the group. "You have it all wrong again, my friend. Being a warrior certainly_ is _impressive." 

"It's being the spawn of a _Decepticon _warrior that _isn't _impressive," Sunstreaker added, striding up to his brother's side. 

Thundercracker and Skywarp frowned, but said nothing. After all, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker had a reputation around the schoolyard… 

… a reputation that had obviously not reached Starscream's audios yet. Not sure what to say in response, but feeling certain he should have the last word, Starscream belatedly defended, "Well, my mother's not a Decepticon warrior!" 

It had been the wrong thing to say. 

"Your… what?" Sideswipe asked. 

"You have _two _creators?" asked Astrotrain in astonishment. 

"Well, yeah," Starscream answered, now wishing he hadn't said anything at all. "Doesn't everybody?" 

A barking laugh erupted from somwhere. 

"Um, no," said Thundercracker. "Everyone usually has just one." 

Skywarp added, "So, how did that work?" 

"I don't know," Starscream defended. "They love each other and just… spark-bonded or something. They never really told me." 

It didn't seem possible that Skywarp's jaw could gape any wider. "You mean to tell me," he began, "that your spark isn't even from Victor Stigma?" 

"Vector Sigma, you idiot," Sideswipe corrected. Skywarp shot him a dirty look. 

Starscream seemed at a loss. "I don't know. They say I'm special," he answered. 

"That's not special. That's disgusting," Sunstreaker mockingly corrected. 

"Yeah, what a freak," Sideswipe added. "Spawn of a Decepticreep and a lab rat; you can't get any weirder or twisted than that." 

"There's nothing wrong with my creators!" yelled Starscream. 

"Oh, isn't there though?" bullied Sunstreaker. "Being a stupid Decepticon means one of them's a bumbling idiot…" 

"And the other's a wussy little geek hiding behind a microscope," added Sideswipe. 

"And the resulting product didn't make you any less ugly either," finished Sunstreaker. 

"You take that back!" screeched Starscream, and before anyone knew it he had pounced towards the twins with fists flailing. The crowd quickly formed a circle around the ensuing fight. 

Starscream had made several mistakes while he was growing, but this had to rank as the worst to date in his mind. He'd never been in a fight before, the twins obviously _had_, and they were bigger, stronger, and outnumbered him. The brothers had him quickly subdued with only minor scuffs and dings, but that was enough to get Sunstreaker worked up beyond reason. Sideswipe held a struggling Starscream while his brother repeatedly punched the smaller jet, making him pay dearly for every scratch that had ended up on his magnificent yellow paint job. 

Just when Starscream was starting to think the yellow psycho was actually going to kill him, an avenging angel painted almost entirely in white came to his rescue. The large mech, larger by far than anyone else in the courtyard, sent Sunstreaker crashing away with a sudden, powerful punch, and quickly shook Sideswipe off and sent him chasing after his brother to nurse their pride. When he had finished and the fight proved to be over, the crowd dispersed and went back to their previous activities. Starscream, however, remained curled up on the ground, sobbing, both his pride and his body hurt. 

"Hey, kid, you gonna be okay?" the large mech asked while he gently helped Starscream to his feet. 

Starscream wiped at his optics, sniffed, and nodded pitifully, staring at the ground. 

"Good. Don't worry about what they said -- a few folks can come from spark-bonding, I've heard. It's just rare, is all." He added, "My name's Skyfire, by the way." 

"I'm Starscream," came the response. "Oh, and thanks," he added with a bit of a half-smile. 

"Don't mention it. I can't stand bullies," Skyfire said, shooting a glare back at the twins. When he turned back to his new friend, he asked, "Mind if I walk you home? You look like you could use some company." 

Starscream smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Sure." 

Just before they set off, Skyfire ran back to collect his data pad from the ground where he had dropped it at the onset of the fight. "Almost forgot it," he remarked with a chuckle. At Starscream's curious glance, Skyfire elaborated, "_The World of Science, Fifth Edition. _I find it fascinating." Skyfire warmly clutched the data pad as if it were his most treasured possession. When he noticed the eager curiosity in Starscream's optics, he generously added, "Would you care to borrow it?" 

"I'd love to!" answered Starscream with a smile.   


  


~***~ 

  
  


From that day on, Starscream and Skyfire were practically inseparable. Together they explored the world of science and planned their futures around it. Life seemed simple and fun for many vorns after that fateful first meeting, and the two were almost through with their basic training when their world as they knew it began to change. 

There were rumors circling about that incriminated Decepticons in recent attacks against several Autobot-dominant cities, and even against a few neutral towns. However, these were only mere rumors and no one really took them seriously. There had been no war in ages and no one planned on one beginning anytime soon. 

Of more concern to Starscream and Skyfire were their respective futures. Starscream had just returned from turbofox hunting with his father when he ran into Skyfire. 

"So, Starscream, have you thought about where you'll go once we've finished with our current training?" Skyfire asked. 

"I'm not really sure. I suppose I might apply to a university, but I haven't really thought about it," he answered. In afterthought, he added, "What about a war academy? That's what my father did." 

Skyfire shook his head. "I'd rather study life than snuff it out, Starscream. I think I'm going to apply to a university and study science further." 

Starscream frowned. "But wouldn't a warrior's life be more exciting, you think?" 

"Maybe," Skyfire sighed, "but it's just not the kind of life for me." 

"All right, then. I'll catch you later, Skyfire!" And with that, Starscream transformed and took flight back home. Skyfire waved after him in parting. 

Later that night, while out flying together, Starfire decided it was time to start asking his son what he had planned for the future, or to get him to start planning if he hadn't already. 

"So, have you thought about life after basic training?" he asked. 

"Yeah, a bit," answered Starscream. "I'm thinking about going to a university." 

"Really? Have you thought about the Decepticon War Academy? I think you'd do really well there." 

"I did think about it and I'm still not too sure what I want to do yet, but I think I'd rather be a scientist." 

"Oh. Well, science is a respectable career. Your mother's a scientist, after all," Starfire responded conversationally, but he didn't quite succeed at keeping a hint of disappointment out of his voice. In afterthought, he added, "Now, don't be discouraged if you don't get in on the first try, Starscream. Universities tend to shy away from the warrior types, but you do well in school. I think you'll be fine in the long run." 

"I'll apply as many times as I need to," answered Starscream. "Time makes all things possible."   


  


~***~ 

  
  


Starfire was right once again, and it took Starscream several hurtful rejections before he managed to get into the same university as Skyfire. By the end, his credentials and his adamancy about pursuing science and not war helped the interviewers overlook his obviously warrior build. While at school, the world truly began to turn upside-down for them. Rumors about Decepticon aggression turned into bitter reality, despite Starfire's attempts to reassure Starscream and Icewing about nothing of the sort involving his division. Halfway through their studies the most talked-about topic was the complete decimation of the once grand and magnificent Crystal City, and the tale of its lone survivor. Starscream and Skyfire vaguely recalled Bluestreak from their younger days and wondered how he was fairing after that tragedy. Anti-war protests put on by the resident Autobots sprang up around campus, spreading even more chaos among the student ranks. Those with Decepticon parentage, like Starscream, were interrogated and ridiculed daily, and neutrals were put under pressure to join the Autobot resistance. 

It was for reasons such as these that Starscream and Skyfire were relieved to return home for the break prior to their final vorn. They wished for at least some semblance of peace and quiet in order to plan for their final project. The two had gone deep-space exploring for projects many times before while at the university, and now they were hoping for their final exploration to be the one to top them all. 

It was with this purpose in mind that they found themselves taking turns scrutinizing their telescope on top of Starscream's creators' apartment, where Skyfire was spending the break to help plan. 

"Hey, Skyfire, get a look at this," Starscream called. 

He relinquished the eyepiece to Skyfire to look through as he directed him. 

"There, in Sector 24 at altitude 44.6." 

"Okay, but what am I looking for, Starscream?" 

"A star – a really big one. Do you see it yet?" 

"No…" 

"Well, keep looking! You can't miss it, it's bigger than the surrounding stars." 

"I still don't – wait a cycle. Oh, I see it now! Hey, it looks like it's got planets orbiting it." 

"Precisely! Now, count the third planet from that star." 

"Got it. The bluish-green one?" 

"That's it, Skyfire. I think it might have…" Starscream lowered his voice to a conspiratory whisper, "… organic life on it! Wouldn't that make a great project?!" 

"I don't know, Starscream," Skyfire said uncertainly. "That's an awful far distance to travel." 

"Aw, come on! We've gone to distant places before. Just think of it; it'd be the best project in the school! Maybe even in school history!" Starscream was truly getting into his element. 

"Maybe, but we've never gone that far before, and especially not without an instructor. Just… think about this before you get us in there all half-cocked, okay?" asked Skyfire. 

"Okay, okay… just as long as you think about it, too!" 

"I will, I will," Skyfire gave in, then stretched. "Anyway, I'm heading off for a recharge cycle. It's late." 

But Starscream already had his optic glued to the eyepiece of the telescope once more. He added, rather belatedly, "Sure, I'm right behind you."   


  


~***~ 

  
  


The next morning, Starscream was rather rudely brought out of his recharge cycle by knocking on the door. He slowly brought his optics on-line and stretched away the weariness as he left his room and shuffled down the corridor. Skyfire, who had also been awoken by the knocking, poked his head out of the guest quarters and gave a questioning look. Starscream shrugged his confusion and continued towards the main entrance, with Skyfire following behind him. 

More rapping sounded as the two entered the main entrance hall. They were apparently the first up, since neither Icewing nor Starfire were in sight. On second thought, Starscream couldn't remember when Starfire had arrived home last night; he and Skyfire had been up on the rooftops for most of the evening. 

Starscream opened the door to the absolute last sight he thought he'd ever see: standing on his porch step was a tall, gunmetal gray officer with a stern face, a Decepticon symbol proudly displayed on his chest, and a rather intimidating canon on his right arm. Starscream and Skyfire had matching faces, both wide-optic and gaping. 

The officer nodded his head curtly in greeting, then poked it in a looked around the pair of stunned and obviously dumbstruck mechs. "Is Icewing here?" he asked. 

"Um… yes?" Starscream managed to spit out. 

There was an awkward moment of silence before the officer cleared his vocalizer and prodded, "May I speak with her for a moment?" 

"Oh, yes, yes, of course… sir!" Starscream added, throwing up a sloppy salute before running to retrieve his creator. Skyfire looked on in concern and confusion while the grim and gray visitor stood silently just outside the threshold. In a moment Starscream returned with Icewing in tow. 

"Yes? You wanted to see me?" she asked as she cautiously approached the stranger. 

"Ah, yes. Icewing?" he asked. She nodded in confirmation. "I'm Megatron of the Decepticons." He offered his hand in greeting. 

"Hello," she nodded her head, but did not take his hand. He put it back at his side nonplussed. "What brings you here so early?" Icewing asked, suspicion growing. Starscream and Skyfire looked on from behind with narrowed optics. 

From his subspace pocket, Megatron withdrew a certificate in a deceivingly happy shade of yellow and a small cylinder of ash bearing the Decepticon symbol. Gravely, he said, "I regret to inform you that Starfire was killed in the line of duty yesterday during an Autobot attack. He was a fine warrior and his prowess shall be greatly missed. We Decepticons are saddened by your loss." Megatron handed a stunned Icewing the certificate. "We thought his next-of-kin should receive his remains," he added, and placed the cylinder in her other hand. After a moment's pause and with no further pomp and circumstance, Megatron nodded curtly to them once more, turned on his heel, and marched away. 

The front door finally closed of its own volition when nobody prompted it to otherwise. Icewing slowly turned around, pathetically clutching the certificate in one hand and the bottle in the other, her visage one of utter disbelief. "What just happened?" she asked under her breath, not wanting to believe her audios. Starscream simply stared at the door, his face devoid of any emotion. Slowly, he shook his head, as if the mere act of denial would make everything go back to normal. Skyfire still looked shocked, but being a third party gave him the advantage of more fully understanding what had just transpired. He looked concernedly between Starscream and Icewing, for once at a loss for words. 

"I'm going back to my room now. That's where I'll be if you boys need me," Icewing suddenly broke the silence with an eerily calm voice. 

After she shuffled out of the hall, Skyfire laid his hand on his friend's shoulder. "Starscream, I – I'm really sorry…" 

The words seemed to bring Starscream screeching back into reality. He violently shrugged away from Skyfire's hand and charged back into his room, where various crashes, bangs, and shatters could be heard as he presumably began decimating his living space. With a sigh, Skyfire followed and waited until the sounds of breaking instruments ceased before entering. 

"Starscream?" 

Skyfire peeked in and found his friend sitting on his recharge bed, legs drawn up to his canopy, rocking back and forth. 

"You wanna talk about it?" Skyfire ventured, edging his way into the room. 

"Why? Why did this happen?" 

Skyfire sighed, "I don't know. Bad things just… happen." 

"That's not a good reason." 

"Well, there's never a good reason for death, Starscream. It just comes with the price of living." 

"Filthy, stinking Autobots!" Starscream shot up in an instant and began pacing. 

"To be fair, the Decepticons have been starting these attacks…" Skyfire started, but immediately knew he'd said the wrong thing. 

"My father never attacked anyone! He was a defender! A defender of Cybertron and the greatest warrior ever!" 

"And being a warrior and a defender means risking death! Starfire knew what his job entailed and it was obviously a risk he was willing to take," reasoned Skyfire. 

"Stupid Autobots, this is all their fault! I'm glad we've started attacking them!" Starscream spat, going into a full rant. 

"No, you aren't! Listen to yourself, Starscream! Listen to yourself!" 

"I am, and for once I feel like I'm making perfect sense! We should exterminate them all, before someone else gets killed!" 

Skyfire balked. He hoped his friend was only saying such things in anger. "Killing Autobots won't bring him back, Starscream!" 

"What would _you _know about it, Skyfire?!" 

"Don't yell at _me. I _didn't kill Starfire!" And with that Skyfire left for the guest chambers, tired of trying to deal with his friend's temper. He was certain Starscream would eventually calm down and sort things out for himself.   


  


~***~ 

  
  


It took several megacycles of alternating stages of anger and depression before Starscream gained any semblance of rationality and began talking to Skyfire again. Icewing appeared to be coping, though whether this was truth or merely a face to keep Starscream strong was anyone's guess. Life had somehow managed to go back to a sort of normalcy when it came time for Starscream and Skyfire to depart on their final university project. 

It was during this one last mission that Starscream's world was thrown into instability once more. In a blinding snowstorm, Skyfire was lost in the swirling, polar winds. Starscream searched half the globe desperately trying to find his childhood friend, but Skyfire was gone. Somehow, Starscream managed to drag himself back to Cybertron, where word of the tragedy spread rapidly. After Skyfire's memorial service, Starscream packed up his belongings and dropped out of the university, returning home to grieve for his friend alone. 

But such peace and solitude was not to be found there. When Starscream walked through the main entrance, he found himself face to face with a cheesily smiling yellow mech with glaringly obvious Autobot symbols painted on his chest. It was in that instant that Icewing came around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks like a robodeer caught in headlights. 

Starscream narrowed his eyes and stared at the stranger, whose fake smile slowly began to fade. "Mother, is this Autoscum bothering you? Do you need me to show him the way out of this world?" he asked, unnervingly calm. 

"No, dear, not at all. I see you've met Retread," she said, as if this answered everything. 

Starscream continued, frightfully calm, "This is some horribly cruel joke, right? _Please _tell me it's a joke…" 

"Now, Starscream, please don't get upset. I was all alone when you left on that project, and Retread was just so nice to me while I was grieving…" 

Something in his central processor snapped, and Starscream went full spin into a rage. "How DARE you! Did my father mean NOTHING to you?!" 

Icewing balked, "But…" 

"He was KILLED by an Autobot, and now he's being replaced with this… this… FILTH?! It's disgusting! It's dishonorable! I refuse to be a part of it!" 

Starscream left that day and never looked back, despite Icewing's protests. With nothing left and nowhere else to go, he enrolled in the Decepticon War Academy the next day and within the next several vorn he graduated at the top of his class. It was also during this time that Megatron continued to rise through the ranks. By the time Starscream officially joined the Decepticon army and was reunited with his wingmates, Thundercracker and Skywarp, Megatron had taken control of the Decepticons. 

~***~ 

  
  


The rest of Starscream's life came as almost a blurr to him: Skyfire's recovery and defection, the countless battles, the Decepticons created, the Decepticons lost, and finally Starscream's ultimate dream fulfilled… becoming leader of the Decepticons himself! 

His whole life had flashed relatively quickly before his optics, and now here he was facing death. He had faced death many times in his life, but never with such certainty as at this very moment. He wondered briefly if Starfire's life had flashed before his eyes, and if Starscream had been a major part of it during the playback. Starscream couldn't help feeling how unfair life was. He was finally the leader – did it have to end so soon? Right now? Like this? He steeled himself over and set his resolve. No, he would not die today, no matter what the next few moments brought. Somehow, he would survive. He would be avenged. He was special… Starfire had told him so. 

"Here's a hint."   


  


~***~ 

  
  


Icewing was rudely brought out of her recharge cycle by a sudden pounding on the door. She shuffled out of her quarters, down through the corridor, and into the main entrance hall. A second rapping came just as she opened the door. She was greeted by two most unusual strangers – oh, how they were making mechs more unusual these days! The taller one was purple with what she could only describe as petrorabbit ears on his head, and the shorter one was rounder and blue with what appeared to be a goatee. 

The petrorabbit-eared one inclined his head politely and said, "Greetings. I am Cyclonus and this," he indicated the squat fellow next to him, "is Scourge of the Decepticons." From subspace, Cyclonus withdrew a deceivingly yellow certificate as Scourge took out a small cylinder bearing the Decepticon symbol. "We regret to inform you…" 

Cyclonus stopped with the ritual for a moment and looked up from the certificate. He wasn't sure how he was to word such a passing to someone's creator. One look at her faltering optics and shaking hands told him that spitting out something that implied her son was summarily executed on the spot as a traitor was not the sort of thing she should be forced to hear. He cleared his vocalizer and began again, "We regret to inform you that your son, Starscream, was killed at his coronation yesterday by an unknown Autobot assassin. He was a proud warrior and a cunning Air Commander, and we're sure he would have made a fine leader had he not been so quickly cut down in his prime. Obviously, the Autobots feared his ascension. We are saddened by your loss and feel you should receive what remains of him." 

And with that, the two Unicronians passed over the certificate and the small cylinder, nodded curtly, turned on their heels, and marched off, leaving Icewing to stand dumbly at the threshold.   



End file.
